Another Year
by Sandiane Carter
Summary: It's New Year's Eve, but can the party at Casa de Castle make him forget that she isn't coming? *takes place in the middle of season 3*


**Disclaimer**: Castle, sadly, isn't mine.

* * *

He tried to get her to come.

He tried casual, he tried pleading – the puppy dog eyes have never been put to a better use – he tried commanding (and his ear still remembers it), he tried earnest. He tried to suggest that she'd only stop by for an hour or so, say hello to the precinct folks (yes, Esposito and Ryan are coming, Captain Montgomery is bringing his wife, and Lanie might make an appearance).

But the answer remained a 'no'. And now, on December 31th, it seems that the New Year's Eve party at Chez Castle will have to be held without Kate Beckett's participation.

Richard Castle wishes it didn't matter so much to him. As he welcomes people in, takes coats, smiles and makes small talk, he wishes that his head wouldn't turn in anticipation every time the doorbell rings. Because he knows that she isn't coming.

Gina is playing hostess, and doing it very gracefully too. She loves social events – hell, there's a reason she's a publisher – and she is at her best tonight, navigating between people, dropping a kind word to each and every one of them, offering cocktails. He watches her smile. She looks happy. She's wearing a little black dress which contrasts prettily with her blonde hair. He feels that he should go up to her and tell her how stunning she looks. Something like that. He should_ feel_ lucky. He tries to, but it doesn't really work.

He's a coward, however; and when she comes to him, a light, teasing smile on her lips, he lets himself be kissed, and whispers something about her very good looks tonight. She laughs softly – he remembers a time, long ago, when this laugh was enchanting to him, and he can't help but think that his timing is definitely awful.

She goes back to their guests, and he decides that he's done enough brooding for the night. He helps himself to a drink, and joins Patterson and Connelly's heated argument over the last Harlan Coben – which he hasn't read yet. Once he is in a lighter mood, he sets off to find Ryan and Esposito and do some verbal sparring. Sometimes he smiles to think how much those guys have come to mean to him. Not that he would ever tell them.

Time goes by, and Alexis and Ashley come to tell him goodnight – well, Alexis comes to kiss him goodnight, while Ashley watches a little warily. Apparently, the memory of the gun is still a little fresh. Castle doesn't exactly mind it. His daughter has another party to attend (a 'younger' one, though it pains him to admit it). He has had her swear that she'll take the limo, and be back by three in the morning. He knows that Alexis can take care of herself. But it will never keep him from acting like the concerned and caring dad that he is.

He hugs her. There's a flicker of worry in her clear blue eyes as she gives him a sweet smile, before turning away. Sometimes he would like to know exactly how transparent he is to his daughter's knowing gaze.

Alexis pauses near the door of the loft, giving her father one last look. She wonders, a little sadly, how much longer it will be until he realizes that the woman who is throwing his New Year's party is not the one he would have her be. She wants to see him happy. Gina is nice, but she's not the one for the job. She sighs. Then a warm hand takes hers gently and she turns to find Ashley smiling tenderly at her. Her heart flutters with joy, and she puts aside her worries, because right now she wants nothing more than to be young, happy and in love. They're in another world already as they leave the loft.

* * *

The countdown has started, and all the guests are shouting together "5…4…3…2…1…." Rick is happy to comply – the margaritas, the screw drivers, and the wine (not to mention some unidentified mixed drinks) have made him happy to do pretty much anything.

And suddenly it is 2011, and everyone is hugging and kissing and exclaiming "Happy New Year!" Gina finds him in the crowd and gives him a kiss to remember her by. He gets manly hugs from the real-life Roach, a handshake from Montgomery. His mother, of course, is singing; but somehow she manages to stop long enough to wrap him in her arms and kiss his cheek.

"Happy New Year, Richard, dear. Let's hope you'll come to your senses soon enough."

She pats his shoulder, and he wants to ask what she means, but she's given her attention back to the piano already. He turns to face the room, and sees many people calling or texting their loved ones. With a pang, he remembers who's missing tonight. It sobers him up quite effectively, and he makes his way to the stairs, reaching for his phone as he steps inside his bedroom.

Whether it is a joke fate is playing on him (that's his favorite interpretation), or simply the networks that are overcrowded with phone calls and texts, he cannot get through to her. It annoys him. A lot. So he makes a snap decision. He needs to see her.

Patience has never been Richard Castle's forte.

With a new spring in his step, he goes back downstairs. It is easy to sneak out without anyone really noticing – or maybe by now they're just too drunk to care anyway. He has asked the driving company to send a few cars over, to ensure his guests will be going home safely. He can use one. Without thinking, he gives the address of Beckett's apartment.

She's told him – after he asked her to come for the second or third time – that she was going to a party with Josh. His hospital's party or whatever. Chances are that she is still there, enjoying herself. But there is absolutely no way that he is going to show up at Mr. Perfect's party. So he'll just trust his instinct, and hope that she is one to go home early. He can always try the precinct if no one answers her door. She'd better not be working on New Year's Eve, he thinks with a tiny smile.

Lots of people are down in the streets; happy lovers, partygoers, or simply those who want to share the moment and feel that they're part of something. The lights are almost blinding – it _is_ New York, after all – but Castle enjoys the festive atmosphere. He looks everywhere, picking up details for a possible scene in his new book. The traffic isn't so bad, surprisingly, and after a twenty-minute drive, he's standing in front of her apartment.

He takes a deep breath, and he knocks before he can think better of it. He can hear someone moving inside; relief that she is here collides with fear that Josh might be, too. She opens the door, and the surprise in her eyes tells him that she wasn't expecting him.

She isn't wearing a cocktail dress, he notices with some disappointment, as he takes in the casual pants, the big sweater. Her hair is falling loosely around her face, but some well-defined curls suggest that a pretty hairdo was on earlier. How is it possible that standing here, dressed in some of the less attractive clothes that she has (from what he's seen), her face slightly flushed but otherwise pretty much bare of make-up, Kate Beckett still manages to be the most beautiful woman he's ever seen?

"Castle, what are you doing here? Don't you have a party to be at?" she asks, breaking the spell. Her voice is soft, inquisitive, and he thinks he can hear some amusement there, too.

"I just, uh… I wanted to wish you a happy new year," he offers lamely. But the way she tilts her head, the way she looks at him with those big eyes of hers – well, let's just say he's in over his head. He isn't drunk, but he is certainly past tipsy.

"And you had to come all the way here?" The smile in her voice is unmistakable now.

"My calls wouldn't get through." He takes his phone out of his pocket to show her, then realizes how stupid he looks, illustrating his words with gestures. The phone goes back where it came from. Beckett bites her lower lip. She isn't sure whether to laugh or not, because though he looks _completely_ lost, he's also pretty damn adorable with his tousled hair and his deep blue shirt.

He finally rallies and asks a pertinent question.

"Are you alone?"

"…Yes."

She raises her chin, daring him to comment on it. He simply shots her a disbelieving look, and she shifts awkwardly.

"Josh offered to replace one of his friends who was on call and not feeling well," she develops against all expectations (especially her own).

The blue eyes are still boring into her, asking more questions.

"We fought," she confesses – _Why?_ She has no idea. "We fought at the party, and then his friend asked to be replaced, and Josh volunteered."

She firmly stares back, letting him know that it's all he will get. The reasons for their fight are only her and Josh's business, even if Castle may have had something to do with it.

"You could have come to the loft," he observes.

She would snap at him if she found the slightest trace of pity on his face, but she doesn't. The anger vanishes as swiftly as it appeared.

"I wasn't really in the mood."

To tell the truth, she was mad as hell, and unwilling for anyone to see her like that. Even after an hour and a half, she was still angry and hurt when Castle knocked on her door. It seems like seeing him, however, has eased it all away. The soothing effect he can have on her – something she's noticed before – is startling, especially when you consider how good he is at annoying her and making her crazy at other times.

He looks at her with puppy dog eyes and she can't help a smile.

"You can come now? The party's still young," he boasts, though he may be overstating it a little. She shakes her head lightly.

"No, Castle. I'm good where I am. Thanks."

She means it (okay, and maybe the perspective of seeing Gina only comforts her in her choice). He can see that her decision's made, and he surrenders graciously. Opening his arms, he grins.

"Happy New Year hug?"

He expects her to roll her eyes, or laugh, or hit him playfully. Maybe all of the above. He certainly doesn't expect her to step into his embrace and wrap her arms around his neck.

Kate herself cannot quite explain it. Only, all of a sudden, she is incredibly happy that he is here, when no one else is. Not that she minds spending New Year's Eve on her own; it's never been her favorite holiday anyway. But not minding and actually enjoying it are two different things, and she feels grateful for his friendship, for his need to share this with her, for the way he makes feel better.

And a hug is a good way to express these things. Especially since _she_ would never put them into words anyway.

His arms readily circle her waist, bringing her as close to him as he can – as he dares. He loses himself in a wonderful world where cherries fly alongside smiling fairies, whose faces are all miniatures of Kate Beckett's. She enjoys his warmth, the strength of his arms, the way his breath catches when she rests her cheek against his. She happily breathes in the smell of him, mingled to his cologne.

It certainly lasts longer than propriety or decency would allow it, given their respective situations. But for once Kate cannot bring herself to do what is right rather than what feels right. She is way too comfortable. In the end, it is he who speaks first, whispering "Happy New Year, Kate" in her ear before brushing a kiss against her hair. He loosens his embrace, offering her a chance to step back.

She detaches herself from him, very slowly, and meets his eyes. They're shining softly, with joy and tenderness and maybe something else, too. _He's not asking anything from me_, she realizes; and her heart does something strange, halfway between a flutter and a leap.

What he doesn't ask for, she wants to give.

She gently puts her hands on both sides of his face, stands up on her toes (she's discarded her heels a while ago) and meets his lips with hers. It's a very sweet kiss, almost a caress. She breaks it quickly – before she has a chance to be overpowered by the velvety touch of his mouth, the way he closes his eyes, and the faint sigh he lets out as he brings his hand to rest lightly on her hips.

She cannot hold back her smile. When his eyelids flutter open, he's in a daze – but it feels like heaven, and he doesn't want to come back, ever.

_Enough now_, Kate tells herself, as reason kicks in while she blushes under his intense gaze. She takes a step back.

"Happy New Year, Rick," she says. She congratulates herself on how steady her voice sounds. He seems on the verge of saying something, but he changes his mind and he smiles instead.

He understands her need to withdraw after such a display of affection – on Kate's scale, this is _big_ – and he is willing to let her. For now. He wonders fleetingly if she has any idea how radiant she looks (and the dim lights in the corridor aren't in any way responsible for it).

She walks back into her apartment, and she doesn't invite him in, of course. She says goodnight, a little hurriedly, gives him a warm, thankful look that makes up for it, and closes the door. Once she is inside, she can relax. It's a good thing her couch isn't far, because her legs feel very shaky, all of a sudden.

She can't believe that it just happened. _She_ kissed Richard Castle. She hugged him, and then she kissed him. She, Kate Beckett, NYPD detective, kissed Richard Castle _of her own accord._ She knows that soon enough, she's going to feel the pang of guilt and doubt that will arise from it (it's who she is).

But for now, she is content to bask in the warmth that spreads through her body at the very thought. She kissed Richard Castle.

For a while, he just stands outside her door. The silly grin that first erupts on his face recedes into a thoughtful, if contented, expression. Then he realizes that the driver is still waiting for him – and so is probably Gina, at home. He feels a stab of guilt, and hurries down the stairs. But even as he does so, a beautiful pair of hazel eyes keeps floating through his mind, and he can't help thinking that all things considered… He couldn't have written a better way to start off the year himself.

* * *

All mistakes are mine, as this story hasn't been betaed. Sorry about that. The idea came to me as I was celebrating New Year's Eve last night, and though I know that many people have written similar things, I just couldn't get it out of my head and had to type it :) ! It is the first time (maybe ever) that I write something in the present tense. I usually stick to the past, so I'm very curious to know what you guys thought. Reviews are love !

And of course, happy new year to every Castle's fan! (my little heart warms up to think of Castle's next episode... It can't come soon enough!)


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